To think this letting agency is asking too much, student dd

[livedtotellthetale]

DD2 is her 2nd year at university, last year when finding accomadation she got a house through a agency, its almost impossible to find student accomadation then through a agency in her town. the agency charged £200.00 for finding the property and admin fees. it was alot of jumping through hoops and paper work. My credit rating is not great and agency informed us that if I failed it as gurantor and it needs to be really good. then dd would be charged £100.00 to put new gurantor on application. anyway my sister agreed to do it on the basis that I would pay if dd defaulted. Loads of paperwork for my sister and them chasing payslips refrences ect. I helped dd this time last year with the months deposit and first months rent for her to move in September it was a struggle.
For various reasons dd is moving to a new property for her 3rd year this September, same agency found the property but still charged dd the same charges this year although all paperwork staying the same. now they are pusing my sister again for payslip and refrences from her work place, She works for the nhs so its a national offfice and they are taking there time but the agency are pushing and pushing my sister to chase it up. my sister is under a hugh amount of pressure at the moment with work and family stuff and just dosent have the time and asked me to ask the ageny to stop pressuring her at the moment, her payroll will get in touch with the agency but might take a while.
Also the agency again are asking for a months rent and deposit now for September, fair enough and dd has saved from her job and I can contrubute some, but again are putting on the pressure and wont wait till the end of the month when I get paid and dd gets her student finance.
The agency has just made me cross as I am a single mum with 2 dds at University who both have worked while studying. and we have managed just about to keep our heads above water so they can further their education.
I can see why some young people who have the chance to go to univesity dont.

Im in the same boat....my ds is in Canterbury and i have agreed to be his guarantor for the next year...I only had to sign some paperwork and that was it...no payslips or references etc...incidentally with this agency i am only guarantoring my son and not the other boys in the house so much fairer.

Yes it's a total rip off, esp when you consider they'd also be charging the landlord a finders fee and a credit check fee and a fee to draw up the contract too. Unfortunately, until the revolution, the only other options are to seek out one of the few decent agencies out there or deal directly with landlords yourself.

Same situation here. We didn't have to do it for the second year as DD seemed to find the most understanding, trusting landlord in that city for a private let (and the landlord has been lucky with eight relatively well-behaved students).

This year we've had an agency and I've been pursued. Trouble is, if I don't cough up, there'll be another bunch of students along with parents who will, and if you want to have your child's (or rather young adult's) accommodation sorted, this is what you have to do.

Will be paying from 1 July for accommodation DD will be occupying from September. Am therefore planning a couple of mini-breaks in the university city over the summer when the other flatmates aren't there to make the most of it.

And don't mention to me the fact that DD's current accommodation contract finishes on 28 June and the new one doesn't start until 1 July, so that's a packed car boot and roof box, and one too many trips up and down the motorway!